Partial deletion of either ROCK isoform, but to a greater extent ROCK1, attenuates diabetes-induced vascular endothelial dysfunction by preventing increased arginase activity and expression and reduction in NO production in type 1 diabetes. Limiting ROCK and arginase activity improves vascular function in diabetes.

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Vascular dysfunctions in diet-induced obesity are prevented by deletion of arginase 1 in vascular endothelial cells or arginase inhibition. These findings indicate that upregulation of arginase 1 expression/activity in vascular endothelial cells has an integral role in diet-induced cardiovascular dysfunction and metabolic syndrome.

We recently demonstrated that blue light induces vasorelaxation in the systemic mouse circulation, a phenomenon mediated by the nonvisual G protein-coupled receptor melanopsin (Opsin 4; Opn4). Here we tested the hypothesis that nonvisual opsins mediate photorelaxation in the pulmonary circulation. We discovered Opsin 3 (Opn3), Opn4, and G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) in rat pulmonary arteries (PAs) and in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs), where the opsins interact directly with GRK2, as demonstrated with a proximity ligation assay. Light elicited an intensity-dependent relaxation of PAs preconstricted with phenylephrine (PE), with a maximum response between 400 and 460 nm (blue light). Wavelength-specific photorelaxation was attenuated in PAs from Opn4 mice and further reduced following shRNA-mediated knockdown of Opn3. Inhibition of GRK2 amplified the response and prevented physiological desensitization to repeated light exposure. Blue light also prevented PE-induced constriction in isolated PAs, decreased basal tone, ablated PE-induced single-cell contraction of PASMCs, and reversed PE-induced depolarization in PASMCs when GRK2 was inhibited. The photorelaxation response was modulated by soluble guanylyl cyclase but not by protein kinase G or nitric oxide. Most importantly, blue light induced significant vasorelaxation of PAs from rats with chronic pulmonary hypertension and effectively lowered pulmonary arterial pressure in isolated intact perfused rat lungs subjected to acute hypoxia. These findings show that functional Opn3 and Opn4 in PAs represent an endogenous "optogenetic system" that mediates photorelaxation in the pulmonary vasculature. Phototherapy in conjunction with GRK2 inhibition could therefore provide an alternative treatment strategy for pulmonary vasoconstrictive disorders.

Endothelial cystathionine γ-lyase (CSEγ) contributes to cardiovascular homeostasis, mainly through production of HS. However, the molecular mechanisms that control CSEγ gene expression in the endothelium during cardiovascular diseases are unclear. The aim of the current study is to determine the role of specific histone deacetylases (HDACs) in the regulation of endothelial CSEγ. Reduced CSEγ mRNA expression and protein abundance were observed in human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC) exposed to oxidized LDL (OxLDL) and in aortas from atherogenic apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE) mice fed a high-fat diet compared with controls. Intact murine aortic rings exposed to OxLDL (50 μg/ml) for 24 h exhibited impaired endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation that was blocked by CSEγ overexpression or the HS donor NaHS. CSEγ expression was upregulated by pan-HDAC inhibitors and by class II-specific HDAC inhibitors, but not by other class-specific inhibitors. The HDAC6 selective inhibitor tubacin and HDAC6-specific siRNA increased CSEγ expression and blocked OxLDL-mediated reductions in endothelial CSEγ expression and CSEγ promoter activity, indicating that HDAC6 is a specific regulator of CSEγ expression. Consistent with this finding, HDAC6 mRNA, protein expression, and activity were upregulated in OxLDL-exposed HAEC, but not in human aortic smooth muscle cells. HDAC6 protein levels in aortas from high-fat diet-fed ApoE mice were comparable to those in controls, whereas HDAC6 activity was robustly upregulated. Together, our findings indicate that HDAC6 is upregulated by atherogenic stimuli via posttranslational modifications and is a critical regulator of CSEγ expression in vascular endothelium. Inhibition of HDAC6 activity may improve endothelial function and prevent or reverse the development of atherosclerosis. Oxidative injury to endothelial cells by oxidized LDL reduced cystathionine γ-lyase (CSEγ) expression and HS production, leading to endothelial dysfunction, which was prevented by histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) inhibition. Our data suggest HDAC6 as a novel therapeutic target to prevent the development of atherosclerosis.

Rationale: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a major cause of end-stage renal disease, associated with endothelial dysfunction. Chronic supplementation of l-arginine (l-arg), the substrate for endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), failed to improve vascular function. l-Citrulline (l-cit) supplementation not only increases l-arg synthesis, but also inhibits cytosolic arginase I, a competitor of eNOS for the use of l-arg, in the vasculature.Aims: To investigate whether l-cit treatment reduces DN in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetes (T1D) in mice and rats and to study its effects on arginase II (ArgII) function, the main renal isoform.Methods: STZ-C57BL6 mice received l-cit or vehicle supplemented in the drinking water. For comparative analysis, diabetic ArgII knock out mice and l-cit-treated STZ-rats were evaluated.Results: l-Citrulline exerted protective effects in kidneys of STZ-rats, and markedly reduced urinary albumin excretion, tubulo-interstitial fibrosis, and kidney hypertrophy, observed in untreated diabetic mice. Intriguingly, l-cit treatment was accompanied by a sustained elevation of tubular ArgII at 16 weeks and significantly enhanced plasma levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Diabetic ArgII knock out mice showed greater blood urea nitrogen levels, hypertrophy, and dilated tubules than diabetic wild type (WT) mice. Despite a marked reduction in collagen deposition in ArgII knock out mice, their albuminuria was not significantly different from diabetic WT animals. l-Cit also restored nitric oxide/reactive oxygen species balance and barrier function in high glucose-treated monolayers of human glomerular endothelial cells. Moreover, l-cit also has the ability to establish an anti-inflammatory profile, characterized by increased IL-10 and reduced IL-1β and IL-12(p70) generation in the human proximal tubular cells.Conclusion: l-Citrulline supplementation established an anti-inflammatory profile and significantly preserved the nephron function during T1D.

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